Chapter 35
Lily took her fourth bow to a standing ovation, as she saw Gran standing up, using her walking frame, and she noticed she was wearing nasal prongs for the oxygen tank that was attached to the side of the wheelchair.
Denise was wiping her eyes between clapping and Lily took the final bow with Henry Higgins and hugged him on stage. Finally she left the stage to where Nick was standing and she fell into his arms and kissed him.
‘They loved it,’ she said.
‘They loved you,’ he returned and spun her around.
‘Gran is here,’ she said. ‘I have to get changed and go and meet you at the dressing room and we can see her together,’ she said.
‘I’ll be out soon,’ Nick said and Lily rushed to the dressing room to undress and take off her makeup.
It was so exhilarating as people came and said well done to her and she returned the excited greetings and congratulations. Finally she was dressed and ready to see Gran.
Lily picked up her bag and gathered some of the flowers and cards from well-wishers, laughing and smiling as she made her way out of the dressing room and into the space at the back of the hall. There were so many people around and she looked for Nick in the crowd.
Gran would be so happy to see them both, she thought, as she walked towards the male dressing rooms, but as she came closer, she could see Nick stood in the poorly illuminated hall and he was not alone.
Jessica was there, her face vulnerable in a way Lily had never seen before, tear-stained and passionately talking about something.
Nick then answered her, as subdued, low, anxious tones, his hand then was on her arm and she fell forward into his arms and he held her as she cried.
Lily stopped; the flowers in her arms became unexpectedly heavy and she knew whatever she was seeing wasn’t for her. She couldn’t hear their words, but the intimacy made her stomach fall away. Jessica nodded at something Nick said, then stretched up to touch his face in a movement too familiar.
What the hell was happening? Lily’s brain ran wild as she watched them, knowing she should leave and not jump to conclusions but it was impossible. Was Nick just consoling an ex-Jessica, or was there more to it? Was Jessica back to her manipulative ways?
No one had ever made Lily feel quite so terrible as Jessica and she didn’t want to feel it again.
Don’t let her ruin this, she told herself and she stepped away quietly and through the back doors, around the side of the hall to meet Gran and her parents outside.
‘Lily,’ she heard from her mother as she came around the corner. ‘Congratulations, darling,’ Denise said. ‘You were marvellous – all of you but especially you.’
Lily hugged her mum and dad and then leaned down to Gran.
‘You being here is the best part of the night,’ she said to her and Gran beamed at her.
‘Darling girl, what a show, and what a voice you have. It’s just so beautiful, Lil. I’m so proud of you. I have missed hearing you sing. I can die happy now,’ Gran said and Lily laughed.
‘Well don’t die too soon. I still have five more shows to get through,’ she said as she looked around for Nick but also for Jessica.
‘Are you out for just the night or for good?’ she asked Gran.
‘Just the night.’ Gran made a face. ‘Maybe you can hide me in the cottage?’
Lily laughed. ‘I don’t think so, even if I do love you more than life itself. Dad and Mum would kill me.’
Gran peered over her shoulder. ‘Here he comes, our Freddy,’ she said. Lily stood up, feeling her body tense at his presence.
‘Hello, I waited for you,’ he said and put his arms around her shoulder.
She looked at him, ‘I came to see you, but you were busy,’ she said, looking him in the eye and lifting her chin.
Nick blinked a few times. ‘Yes, I need to talk to you.’
Lily raised her eyebrows at him. ‘I’m sure you do,’ she said and turned back to Gran.
‘Can I help you back to the hospital?’ she asked her.
But Gran shook her head. ‘No, you stay with Nick and celebrate. I have to get back or the nurses will send out a search party and give me cold tea and toast in the morning.’
‘We can’t have that,’ said Lily, catching her father’s eye who rolled his eyes at her.
‘Let me speak to Nick,’ Gran said and Lily turned to him.
‘She wants you,’ she said and she stood back and looked around for Jessica but she couldn’t see her anywhere.
‘You all right, darling?’ Denise was by Lily’s side, watching her face.
‘Yes, fine,’ she said, smiling brightly at her mother.
‘No, you’re distracted,’ said Denise. ‘I might not know what’s right for you but I know you.’
Lily looked at her mother, and felt her eyes sting. ‘Nick’s ex is here. She’s been really difficult. Like really difficult.’
‘Well I know when a man is in love and that man adores you, and he’s worth being here for. He’s just lovely, Lily,’ Denise said.
Lily sighed. ‘I don’t know. Why didn’t he tell me she was coming?’
‘Maybe he didn’t know,’ said Denise putting her arm around Lily. ‘I feel like I’ve ruined you somehow.’
‘What do you mean?’ Lily asked.
‘I think I put so much time into telling you what to do that I ended up stifling your ability to trust yourself,’ Denise said.
Lily looked at her and saw her mother’s face. ‘You know, I did stand up to her a few times and I even quit the show for a while but seeing her tonight, it really threw me.’
Denise turned to her daughter and held her face in her hands. ‘You have everything you want right now, Lily. Don’t let your newfound freedom here get waylaid by anyone, least of all an ex-girlfriend.’
Lily nodded. ‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘Thanks, Mum. I needed that reminder.’
Nick stood up from talking to Gran and she smiled at Lily and she nodded at him. He came to her side and Denise stepped away.
‘We’re taking Gran back to the hospital,’ Denise said to Lily.
Lily said her goodbye as Nick waited.
‘My family are at the pub. Do you want to and come and see them? I didn’t think now was the right time for them to meet your gran and parents.’
Lily was silent for a moment. ‘What did Jessica want?’ she asked.
Nick shook his head sadly. ‘She wanted to talk to you, to say sorry, but I told her to leave you alone. That she’d done enough damage.’
‘Why was she crying?’ Lily asked, shaking her head in disbelief.
‘Because I told her I loved you,’ he said, his eyes searching hers.
Lily felt her mouth drop. ‘Oh, Nick,’ she said.
‘If you don’t feel that way, let me know. I mean I will still hang around anyway in case you change your mind; but Lily, I think you’re so talented and I know you love it here but I do think you should try again in London, if you want to, that is.’
‘But you hate London,’ she said to him.
‘No, I don’t hate London. I don’t have any opinion on it really but I love you, so if you said you wanted to be in Outer Somalia to pursue anything you wanted, I would follow.’
She leaned up and kissed him.
‘I love you too, Nick, I do; but I don’t think I want that. I want to be here. I just need to get Gran home and well.’
‘Well we can do anything, as long as we’re together,’ he said.
Lily smiled at him. ‘Okay, let’s go and get a drink,’ she said. ‘I really hope Jessica won’t be there.’
‘And if she is, have a great time anyway. She’s not an issue for us, okay?’ Nick took the flowers and cards from her arms. ‘Let me put these in the car and then I’ll come back and walk you to the pub.’
Lily nodded as the crowd started to dissipate and she stood alone at the front of the hall.
‘Lily?’ she heard and she turned and saw Paul, her agent from London, standing to the side.
‘Oh hi, how are you? Did you see the show?’ she asked, surprised.
‘Yes, a friend told me you were in it and I thought I would come up and see if you were still as good as I remembered.’
There was a cold breeze in the air, and Lily shivered and crossed her arms.
‘I’m wondering when you’re coming back to London, as you haven’t called me back and I heard what happened at Les Mis , but they said they would see you again and, if not, there are several auditions coming up, closed ones, that I think we need to get you in to sing for, and there’s also a tour with Phantom of the Opera through Asia.
It would be wonderful for you. You’d be an amazing Christine, and you wouldn’t need the wig. ’
He laughed at his own joke but Lily forgot to smile.
This was everything she had once wanted, and now it was being handed to her, she wasn’t sure what she thought. Paul was finally paying attention to her but did she want it?’
‘You ready?’ Nick was walking towards her and Lily stood between the agent and Nick.
And suddenly, everything she had been sure about didn’t seem so clear anymore.